Patriots Super Bowl appearance was no fluke, team's legends say: 'They're for real'

The New England Patriots were expected to beryllium "mid," arsenic Rob Gronkowski told Fox News Digital, but instead, they looked similar the Pats of yesteryear.

New England stunned the shot satellite with a 14-3 grounds and going each the mode to the Super Bowl, led by second-year backmost Drake Maye.

Sure, New England possibly benefited from an casual docket successful the regular season, and successful the playoffs, they faced Jarrett Stidham alternatively of Bo Nix. The Super Bowl was not pretty, arsenic they took a beating from the Seattle Seahawks.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman raises his hands successful solemnisation with choky extremity Rob Gronkowski aft throwing a touchdown walk to wide receiver Danny Amendola during the 3rd 4th of the NFL divisional playoff shot crippled astatine Gillette Stadium connected Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

But Gronkowski and 1 of his erstwhile teammates bash not judge the 2025 Pats were immoderate benignant of fluke.

"What the New England Patriots did this play was incredible. And they're conscionable going to support connected gathering connected that from present connected and going into adjacent year, I'm definite they're going to beryllium making the playoffs connected a accordant ground now," Gronk told Fox News Digital. "That's the expectation. They got the quarterback, they got the coach, they got the ownership, they got the instauration now, and you're going to spot them competing astatine a precocious level each azygous twelvemonth now, which is large for Patriot fans."

New England Patriots backmost Drake Maye (10) warms up anterior to the AFC Championship NFL shot crippled against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, successful Denver.  (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The Patriots person simply built the adjacent procreation of success, and Gronkowski sees the aforesaid successful Infiniti and their newly-released QX65. Gronk and Julian Edelman were connected manus astatine Grand Central Terminal successful New York for the unveiling.

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"I've ever been astir showing up astatine large moments and putting successful the enactment down the scenes, and that's what stood retired to maine with the Infiniti. They're truly being intentional astir however they determination guardant and what they're gathering next. That's however you got to beryllium arsenic a shot player, arsenic an athlete, you got to beryllium precise intentional and successful bid to enactment astatine the apical of your crippled and beryllium capable to vie astatine a apical level. And that's what Infiniti is doing."

"I was fortunate capable successful my vocation to play successful a batch of large moments, and that's precisely what you spot with the Infiniti," Edelman added. "How they are truthful elaborate and person a intent for everything that they do. When you look astatine the plan of the car, the back, the interior's spacious, precise detailed. I mean, it's conscionable thing that's been truthful cool. It's been a amusive experience."

Edelman, too, is "very confident" that the new-look Pats are present to stay.

"Anytime you got a caput coach, a quarterback, an owner, and a GM moving unneurotic and unison, it seems similar each escaped cause they signed had a large moment, large relation connected the team. There was a batch of large things that happened."

Edelman did pass Patriots fans to temper expectations conscionable a spot and not expect different 14-win season. However, helium does expect a much dependable merchandise connected the field.

New England Patriots backmost Drake Maye celebrates with the AFC title trophy aft the AFC title crippled betwixt the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots successful Denver, Colorado, connected Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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"it's clip connected task. You know, clip connected task with the quarterback. Get him acceptable with the violative line, getting that violative enactment benignant of fixed up and get them moving unneurotic more. I mean, they're a young group. So I'm truly excited for the Patriots this year," helium said.

"I deliberation they're for real. They whitethorn spell retired and not person arsenic galore wins, but I deliberation they're going to beryllium a amended shot squad this year."

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